


Red Wine Celebration

by GloriousGoblinQueen



Category: Saiyuki Gaiden
Genre: Fade to Black, M/M, Reincarnation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-18
Updated: 2018-12-18
Packaged: 2019-09-21 21:08:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,052
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17050598
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GloriousGoblinQueen/pseuds/GloriousGoblinQueen
Summary: Kenren gets Tenpou something special for his birthday. A little over 500 years later, something similar occurs.





	Red Wine Celebration

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Rose Argent (roseargent)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/roseargent/gifts).



Kenren eyed him with suspicion. “Really. You don’t want anything. There’s not a single thing you’d like for a present.”

Tenpou sipped his coffee in silence. He placed the mug down on a clean spot on his desk and appeared to be deep in thought for a few moments before answering. “Nope,” he said in that beatific way of his. “There’s not really anything I want. At least, nothing I can think of off the top of my head.”

Kenren sighed and switched from leaning on Tenpou’s desk to sitting on it. A few papers, likely important, ended up on the floor in the process, but he either didn’t notice or didn’t care. “Come on, you can’t be serious. It’s your _birthday_ for cryin’ out loud, everybody wants something on their birthday!” He thought about Konzen and smirked. “Even if they don’t want to admit it.”

Tenpou had to chuckle at Kenren’s determination. It was like watching a very handsome dog try to work a treat out of a complicated toy. He picked up a manilla folder and started rifling through it. “You and I both know that with as many birthdays as I’ve had, I’ve gotten more than enough gifts,” he said. “Seriously, I don’t need anything else.”

He startled when the folder was suddenly plucked out of his hands. Kenren folded his arms and levelled a glare at him he had to struggle not to laugh at.

“Fine, fine,” he said. “I suppose I can give it some more thought”. He leaned forward on his elbows and closed his eyes, thinking the conversation was over. Some time passed, and when he cracked an eye open and saw Kenren was still glaring at him, he realized he’d actually have to give him an answer.

“Hm. Well there is one thing I’ve wanted to try for a while now…”

“Ha, I knew it!”

Tenpou ignored him, thinking he looked entirely too smug over something so inconsequential. “There’s this winemaker,” he began, “who goes by the name ‘Li’. About the only things anyone knows about her are that she’s missing an eye and she keeps to herself almost religiously. Oh, and she’s damned good at what she does.”

Kenren leaned in. “Her wine’s that good, huh?” he asked. “How come I haven’t heard of her?” It was a good question; he knew his booze, so he figured he should’ve heard about someone like this before now.

“Like I said, she keeps to herself. Most people don’t even know what she looks like. From what I’ve heard, only a select few do business with her. Mostly nobles and royalty.”

Kenren sat back up straight and rubbed his chin, the gears in his mind turning hard. “Nobles and royalty, you said? This lady must be something else.”

Tenpou nodded in agreement. “She is. And so is her plum wine, apparently,” he said. He almost regretted saying anything when he saw the grin stretched across Kenren’s face.

“Aha, finally showed your hand there. I knew there was something you had your eye on.”

“Alright, alright,” Tenpou said laughing, putting his hands up in surrender. “I admit, I _may_ have thought about trying her plum wine once or twice. But wishful thinking is all it is; I doubt she’d sell any to me, regardless of how nicely I asked. And I’d rather not use my godhood for evil and make her give me a bottle.”

“Pretty sure that hasn’t stopped you before,” Kenren muttered under his breath.

“What was that?”

Kenren pushed himself up off the desk and went to stand out of swatting range. “What I’m saying is, maybe _you_ can’t charm her, but my luck might be a little better.” 

+++++

At some point during the day, Tenpou had moved his work from his office to his private quarters. He'd just finished putting his signature on a report when someone knocked on his door.

He called the visitor in, and looked up to see Kenren sauntering into his apartment. The man had a rather large bottle in one hand, which he sat on the coffee table, and a flat box held under the other arm. Tenpou looked down at the bottle, then at the box, then arched an eyebrow at Kenren, waiting for an explanation.

Kenren chuckled. “Told ya I'd get it,” he said. “Had to let her talk me damn near to death to get it, though. But she's alright.” Tenpou wondered if there was any drinking involved in this “talking”, since it sounded like Kenren had been sampling some of the winemaker's wares. “Oh! And before I forget, I got you a little something extra.” He practically threw himself down into the empty space on the couch and tossed the box he was holding onto Tenpou’s lap.

The box was a plain white and, upon closer inspection, not even sealed. Tenpou frowned and turned it this way and that, before finally opening it up. Some kind of green silk was folded up inside, and he adjusted his glasses when his eyes caught something shining faintly. 

“Kenren, is this...is this _glitter_?” he asked.

Kenren somehow managed to keep a straight face when he replied, “It could be. You’re just gonna have to take it out of the box, now, aren’t you.”

Tenpou shook his head and lifted the whole thing up out of the box to get a better look at it. Whatever he’d been expecting, it certainly wasn’t the very creative (and very short) interpretation of a kimono he was currently holding. Meanwhile, Kenren was having a hard time stifling his laughter next to him.

“Hm. And you said this was a gift for me? This seems more like something you’d enjoy.”

Kenren lost it then, leaning over onto Tenpou and laughing into his shoulder. He explained it was a gag gift, which Tenpou had figured.

Some time later, they each got out a cup and Kenren poured for them both. “You first, since it’s your special day,” Kenren said.

Tenpou took a sip and closed his eyes in pleasure. The flavor was sublime, unlike anything he’d had before, and he had a feeling that between the two of them, the bottle wouldn’t last very long.

The wine continued to flow well into the evening, and by that point Tenpou was buzzed enough to start reconsidering the “joke” gift. He’d placed it on the coffee table, the kimono spilling out of its box. Sure, Kenren _said_ it was a joke, but it didn’t look cheap at all. He doubted Kenren would spend serious money just for a few laughs. And something about the green did appeal to him.

He got up and took the box with him, making the excuse that he was going to hang his gift up until he found something to do with it.

Kenren looked up after he realized Tenpou had been gone for longer than it should take just to hang something up in his closet. He peeled himself up off the couch and stumbled over in the general direction of Tenpou’s bedroom. He called out for him, wondering where the hell Tenpou had gone, exactly. He nearly passed by Tenpou’s bedroom when the sound of someone clearing their throat made him turn around.

“I guess I found a use for this thing after all,” Tenpou said. He was sat up in his bed, kimono on, and it was short enough on him that Kenren could tell he probably wasn’t wearing anything under it.

Kenren stared at him for a few moments, then dashed back to the living room to grab the wine bottle. He ran back just as quick and entered the bedroom, closing the door behind him.

+++++

While Tenpou was busy catching his breath, Kenren happened to look up at the clock on the wall. “Good,” he said. “It’s not midnight yet. That means I can still wish you a happy birthday.”

“Isn’t that what you’ve been doing for the past…” Tenpou paused to think. “However long it’s been since we hopped in bed together?

Kenren stretched and relaxed even further into the bed, turning his head in the direction of Tenpou’s voice. “Yeah, well, maybe I wanna use actual words this time. And less screaming.”

Tenpou chuckled into his pillow. “It’s your own fault you were so loud.”

Kenren rolled his eyes and turned over to huddle up against Tenpou’s back. “Anyways, happy birthday, ya jerk.” He pressed a kiss against the nape of Tenpou’s neck. “And here’s hoping you have a lot more.”

+++++

Hakkai jumped and nearly stuck himself with the sewing needle when something got slammed down on the table he was working at. He looked up and found Gojyo staring down at him, lit cigarette dangling from his lips. One hand was in his pocket, and the other was gripping the neck of the bottle he’d thought it was a good idea to slam onto the table. Hakkai put away the mending he was working on (Goku, again) and asked, “Is that for a special occasion, or did you win it in a game?”

Gojyo grinned wide at him and plopped himself down into the other chair. “Damn right it’s for a special occasion!” When Hakkai arched an eyebrow at him, Gojyo rolled his eyes. “Your birthday, man, c’mon! Don’t tell me you forgot or something.”

Hakkai shrugged and looked away. “I admit, it did slip my mind. It’s not really something I think about that much.” He sounded casual, and would have fooled anyone not looking at the sudden tension in his shoulders, or the tightness in his eyes.

Gojyo knew he was walking in dangerous territory, and tread carefully. “Look,” he said. “I’m not throwing you a party or anything, I know that’s not your style. Not really mine, either. Just a few drinks, shootin’ the breeze, maybe some foolin’ around, that’s all I ask.” He took a long drag from cigarette and exhaled, letting the smoke curl upwards towards the ceiling. “Is that alright?”

Hakkai held himself stiffly for a few moments, thinking over Gojyo’s proposition. Then, he laughed softly. “Fine, I’ll play along. I’m curious about what’s in that bottle of yours.”

Gojyo cried out in triumph. “Ha, I knew you couldn’t resist!” He got up and went searching for spare cups. When he found a couple, he went back to sit down and poured drinks for the both of them. “And as for what’s in the bottle, you’re just gonna have to find out for yourself,” he said.

Unlike his friend, who downed his drink in one go, Hakkai took a slow, thoughtful sip. His brow furrowed as he tried to place the flavor. “Is...is this plum wine, Gojyo?”

“Mmhm,” Gojyo replied. He was in the middle of pouring himself another drink. “Wait a minute. You haven’t had this before, have you?”

Hakkai shook his head. “No, I don’t think I have. And yet, the taste is strangely familiar. Like some kind of far off memory…”

“Geeze, Hakkai. One sip, and you’re already acting funny?”

Hakkai blinked, snapping out of whatever train of thought he’d been on. “I am not! I was merely thinking…”

“Meh. You do too much of that already,” Gojyo muttered under his breath.

“I’ll pretend I didn’t hear that,” Hakkai said into his cup. “Anyhow, what poor soul did you cheat this out of?”

“First of all,” Gojyo started, “I don’t cheat. No need to, with the skill I got. And don’t think I don’t see you smiling over there!” He gestured at Hakkai with his cup, then took another drag from his cigarette. “Secondly, I got it from some lady. Said her name was ‘Li’ or something like that. Told me she made it herself, and if I wanted any, I’d have to beat her at a game of poker. Well, you can tell how that went.”

Hakkai made a noise in agreement. “Well, thank you for the gift. It’s delicious,” he said.

“Hey.”

Hakkai looked up. Gojyo was looking right at him.

Gojyo held out his cup. “Happy birthday, Hakkai.” HIs smile was warm and genuine.

Hakkai looked on in shock before he smiled back with the same warmth. He tapped his cup gently against Gojyo’s.

“And here’s to a whole lot more,” Gojyo said before knocking his drink back.

**Author's Note:**

> I liked this assignment, and I hope it meets your approval roseargent!


End file.
